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National Choirs

NYCOS National Boys Choir

Ages: 10 - 16

A choir for ambitious young singers that consistently thrills audiences with its rich and wonderful sound.

The choir gives boys, with unchanged and changed voices, a unique opportunity to sing together to the highest standard. The wide-ranging concert repertoire is learned and rehearsed extensively in search of the perfect tone quality and musical character that makes this choir’s performance so thrilling to hear live. Continually going from strength to strength, NYCOS National Boys Choir enjoys performances all across the UK, from Edinburgh International Festival to BBC Proms in the Park. In 2013, the choir recorded its first CD after a celebrated performance of Tom Cunningham’s The Saga of the Seven Days. Previously 400 male voices from the National Boys Choir, NYCOS Regional Choirs and the flagship NYCOS choir filled Dunblane Cathedral for a BBC Songs of Praise performance, entitled ‘Scottish Voices’. More recently the choir has premiered and recorded Ken Johnson and Jim Maxwell’s ‘All Those Men Who Marched Away’.

The choir meets annually around Easter time for a residential course where the time is divided into full rehearsals, sectional rehearsals and musicianship games sessions. Concerts across Scotland are organised at the end of the course and at other times, as appropriate.

The Herald

“qualities of pristine articulation, dead centre intonation, quality of tone and an openness of delivery that is honest in its impact, have an irresistible emotional effect”

Want to join this choir?

Choir Sections

Because boys, and their voices, change quickly, NYCOS National Boys Choir has three sections suitable for all ages and stages:

Training Choir For boys with unchanged voices who could benefit from a little more time to develop and gain the experience needed for progression.

National Boys Choir For more experienced singers with unchanged voices who can cope with the increased musical and vocal demands of a national choir.

Changing Voice Choir For older boys with changing voices; this choir supports singers through the stages of vocal development and keeps them singing.

Auditions

Members of NYCOS National Boys Choir are amongst the most promising young male singers in Scotland and admission to the Choir is by audition. We want you to have a successful audition, so we’ll be listening out for what you do well. Preparation is key; it’s never too early to start practicing. After hearing you, Christopher Bell will decide whether you are ready for membership of Training Choir, National Boys Choir or Changing Voices.

What to sing at the audition

You should bring a song you have learned and can sing well in a classical style; your singing or class teacher should be able to advise you on suitable repertoire. We strongly suggest you do not sing songs from musicals as these often don’t show off the full vocal potential. An accompanist will be provided. In addition, applicants will be given simple exercises to sing to test the range of their voices and may be asked to sing a simple song at sight.

Audition location

Depending on numbers, auditions may be held in Aberdeen, Dumfries, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. The opportunity to audition by video link may be available to island dwellers.

Residential Course

The activities for the year all stem from the six-day residential course at Loretto School, Musselburgh, where the repertoire is learned. Members will have vocal coaching, musicianship training and full choir rehearsals with highly qualified music staff who are experts in their field.

Concerts & Engagements

The course finishes with a public concert for all sections of the Choir, where friends and family can experience the spectacular results of the work undertaken during the residential course.

The Choir will take part in exciting additional engagements, full details of which will be advised prior to the audition. Members will be expected to take part in both the residential course and additional engagements.

Costs & Financial Assistance

Members pay 3 instalments of £160 for National Boys Choir and Changing Voice Choir, or 3 instalments of £130 for National Boys Training Choir. Costs are inclusive of membership, full-board accommodation, provision of music, additional engagements and all activities for the residential course.

Don’t be put off by the cost as financial assistance is available for both fees and travel. For more information, see the Funding Information page on our website or contact us.

All parts of the residential course are important. At the beginning you are learning new music and settling into the course structure, and if you miss the beginning you will lose a lot, perhaps never catching up.

We prefer members to come to the course and stay for the duration, unless there is a pre-agreed extenuating circumstance. For example, in the past people have had a hospital appointment which if missed could not be re-organised for months. Each case is different so is considered individually.

The school is set in extensive grounds and, as well as providing for all our musical needs, has sports facilities. The timetable includes recreational activities supervised by our house staff. There’s also a swimming pool, TV room with videos and a quiet room for reading.

Boys aged 10 – 16 born, resident/studying in Scotland, or of Scottish descent. Boys aged 16 are also eligible to apply for NYCoS Training Choir. Only one audition will be required if you apply for both choirs.

This is a national choir. In order to perform at the highest possible standard it needs to recruit the best singers available each year. To keep your place in the choir you need to work at maintaining and improving your vocal and musicianship skills.

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National Youth Choir of Scotland (known as NYCOS) is a registered Scottish charity, SC024899. NYCOS is a company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland with company number SC165149 having its registered office at Capella Building (Tenth Floor), 60 York Street, Glasgow G2 8JX.